A Sense of Reality
by Burner Phone
Summary: A retelling of Naruto, with a drop of Reality for a darker twist. Who knows where it will go and what it could change?


_**A/N - Disclaimer: Clearly do not Naruto (even though i clearly would love to.)**_

* * *

 _ **10 years ago, a Nine-Tailed Demon Fox suddenly appeared. Its tails lashed out smashing mountains and sending tidal waves crashing to the shores. The Ninja of Konohagakure rose up to defend their village, but the damage was still total to the surrounding area and many lost their lives in the process. Even their leader the Fourth Hokage lost his life defeating the beast. However he did not kill the beast, but sealed it into a new born child called Uzumaki Naruto.**_

 _ **This is a story about that child and the world that he will end up changing it forever.**_

vVv

It was a hot afternoon in Konohagakure, and like most children his age Uzumaki Naruto was in class.

"Shikamaru, what's the answer to number 5?" Naruto whispered to his classmate.

"Naruto, come on man, this was gone over yesterday in class. Stop being so troublesome" he said as he rested his head on his crossed arms over the finished test paper.

The Village had taken some time to get back to normal after the Kyuubi attack and the effects of it were still raw in the minds of many of the population. Due to Naruto's whiskered face and blonde hair he stood out from the crowd and this often got him targeted by a lot of the pent up anger, which would naturally pass down to the children too.

"Come on Shika just lemme just see your ans-"

"No talking Naruto!" shouted his teacher, "This is a test."

"Sorry Iruka-sensei" he said while scratching the back of his head. Looking back down at his still blank test paper he sighed. 'Stupid Shikamaru,' he thought 'why the hell doesn't he want to share. I helped him out last week when he was hiding from his mom and this is how he pays me back.'

The small boy slouched into his seat with his arms crossed. Naruto was annoyed at his classmate's refusal to help since usually He, Shikamaru, Kiba and Chouji always helped each other out when it came to tests – why was he not letting him have a look this time?

Looking up he saw that he only had five minutes left of the test he read the question worth the most points: _Who were the two clans that founded Konohagakure, and what other clans were added to form the Four Heavenly Pillars? [0/4]_

Naruto put his hea din his hands and thought hard, wracking his brain for the answer that Shikamaru insisted that they had gone over the day before in class.

"One minute left class" shouted Iruka as he began to get up from his desk.

Naruto sighed in defeat, and being unable to think of a single clan resigned himself that it would be another zero on his record. So he just copied his non-answer sharing 'friend' and laid his head on the desk until Iruka-sensei called it.

"Test is over class, please turn your papers over and go with Mizuki-sensei while I mark your exam – and no talking until you get outside. I'm looking at you Ino and Hitomi." The two singled out girls did have the decency to look a little embarrassed as they and the rest of the class followed their teacher outside for a more physically demanding lesson.

"Thanks for nothing Shikamaru" Naruto muttered as he passed him, but Shikamaru just carried on chatting to his overweight best friend Chouji unaware of what the blonde child said.

Once outside Mizuki turned to the children with a smile, "Ok kids we're going to work on your stamina today so I want you to do laps until you can't run anymore, but don't worry this isn't going to be graded or anything".

All he got in reply was a bunch of groans.

vVv

Walking home with his head held low and the red ink covered test paper in his hand Naruto felt miserable, which was an odd sight for the few people that knew the child outside of the Academy. It wasn't like it was HIS fault that he didn't remember stuff well, he seethed. It's not like he had parents or siblings that he could ask at home for help with schoolwork. Even the time he had at the orphanage was so lonely that he had to effectively teach himself to read and write, although the Sandaime did always pop in now-and-again to see him. 'I haven't seen Hokage-jiji in weeks' he thought on his walk back from the Academy, 'I guess he's too busy doing Hokage stuff or reading porn or whatever to come see me' and he even began stealing a few bitter glances at the kids who were walking home with their parents.

Hitting the denser parts of the village he began to look around from under his bangs as he walked through the marketplace. All he was saw by those who paid enough attention to recognise them were those eyes that he was so used to by now. Those hateful eyes that confirmed his place as the village pariah. Clenching his fist he began to think dark thoughts: 'I'll show them. I'll show them all. They'll accept me when I'm Hokage and telling them what to do, then we'll see'. Oh how he hated those eyes everyone looked at him with, like he had actually done something horrible to them personally. Sure he had done pranks on them in the past but nothing that deserved this, even that teachers as the Academy that Hokage-jiji said would help him just ignore him at best and flunk him at worst.

He'd even managaed to join the Academy two years early thanks to the Old man, but due to his crippled early education and lack of help from the staff Naruto was held back from graduating and although he would never admit it – it really did anger him that he wasn't good enough by heimself. His idol the Fourth Hokage was a genius graduating the Academy in a year, then becoming a Chuunin a year after and then ending up Hokage. Even the Old Man was apparently a genius who had mastered techniques from all five elements and was called the "God of Shinobi". If Naruto couldn't even pass a simple History test, how would he ever be Hokage before he was the Old Man's age? Seeing a break in the crowd He just shook himself free from these dark thoughts and broke out into a run back to his home in the poorer part of Konoha, leaving the test paper in his hand and the looks he was getting behind him.

Deciding to take a shortcut by the river he stopped when he noticed that Sasuke was sitting on the riverbank and as if he sensed Naruto nearby turned and gave him the classic glare that he loved to give everyone. He hated Sasuke – stupid, perfect Sasuke that could do no wrong. Sasuke who had money. Sasuke who teachers would rush over whenever he had a question, while ignoring every attempt by Naruto. What the hell did he have to feel bad about?

"Oi bastard what's wrong with you, didn't get that 100% you wanted?" he shouted "No teachers to tell you it's ok Sasuke-kun _it was a really hard test but you tried your best_ or whatever" It wasn't his greatest jibe, but he was in a funk.

Sasuke just turned back to the water and ignored him.

'He always does this, just ignores me like I'm not even here' Naruto seethed, 'Well I'm not having this and there's no teacher to save you now.' Charging down the riverside yelling "Don't ignore me you bastard" he rushed the other boy. With his fist raised to strike but as he got within range Sasuke moved to the side and Naruto being unable to stop himself landed straight into the river.

Surfacing from his unexpected swim Naruto dragged himself onto the shore and after catching his breath he looked around for Sasuke, only to see his back as he was walking away. "Sasuke you-", he coughed as more water found its way out of his lungs "You bastard get back here, I'm not done with you!" Shaking himself free from most of the water he starting chasing after his classmate.

When Naruto finally caught up with him, Sasuke stopped and turned with a scowl "What do you want dead last? I thought I would only have to deal with you in class and now you're stalking me like one of the girls."

Naruto stopped and, for once, he was actually lost for words. Why had he really called out to Sasuke? Why didn't he just carry on home? "I don't want anything gross like that you weirdo – I, err, I wanted to see who was stronger with no teachers around to stop us".

Sasuke looked at the boy dumbfounded and scoffed "As if some dead last who can't even answer one simple question on an easy History test could even touch me" and began to walk away.

"Why? Is the _perfect Sasuke-kun_ scared of losing to me?" came the reply.

Sasuke froze and turned back to him with a smirk "When I win, you have to admit to everyone in class that I'm better than you and have to call me Sasuke-sama from now on".

Naruto paused. It was not that he didn't believe he _could_ beat him alone but he had seen the things that those Yakuza types did with honouring bets. But he was being silly about worrying if he bailed from it... Right?

"Yeah, well when I kick your ass you have to tell everyone about it and call me Naruto-sama! Believe it!"

With the challenge accepted Naruto immediately got into the academy combat stance, prepared for any sneak attack The Bastard would spring on him but Sasuke did nothing but stare at him and sigh. "We're not fighting here you idiot, just in case you nearly drown yourself again. Let's go find somewhere else" and began to walk off.

"H-Hey wait up bastard".

vVv

'Walking with Sasuke is weird' Naruto declared as the two children were looking for a proper place to fight. They had gone to the park first on Naruto's idea that all the preschool kids would have left by now, but as they got there it was apparent that some sort of fair that was on.

"Nice going dobe"

"Shut up, not like I could have known believe it"

Sasuke's idea of using the Academy turned out to also wrong since once they got there it was obvious that they were doing repairs on the building and if they started there one of the adults would intervene. Sasuke being wrong was something Naruto enjoyed, though he didn't say anything.

"Oi bastard where do the other ninja train, like all the adults and stuff?" he asked turning to the other boy.

Sasuke did not immediately reply since he was weighing up whether or not it would be worth going to one of _His_ training spots or not. He had agreed to fight the blonde idiot, and it wasn't like he had anyone waiting at home for him, but still. It was a place he wished to avoid if possible.

However while he was lost in his memories he was aware that Naruto did not like being ignored and now was nose to nose with him. Not showing any outward emotion he asked

"What the hell are you doing you dope?"

"Well it's not my fault you were zoning out and didn't answer my question".

Sasuke sighed in defeat and asked Naruto to repeat what he had said. "So do you know where the adults train or not?"

"Yes, but we'd have to walk a bit".

"Don't care. Let's go" and with that this time Naruto walked off ahead.

"Wrong way you dope…"

vVv

Making their way through the village Sasuke began to notice all of the stares that Naruto was getting from people, and not only that but the dope seemed a lot less loud than usual. "Hey idiot what did you do to make everyone so angry?"

Not bothering to look at Sasuke he said "The hell if I know. The only people I definitely know I pranked here was that old woman at the clothing shop who chased me out when I tried to buy some new shoes, and that stupid prick at the grocery store that tried to sell me out of date food – dunno what's wrong with everyone else."

Despite this vague answer Naruto did begin to walk faster and avoided looking at anything else but the sky. This was odd behaviour from an already annoying person, but even Sasuke knew that there was more to this story than the dope let on.

"Oi Sasuke how long we got to go? You sure you know where you're going" he said as he put his arms behind his head.

"Next left dope, not long now".

"Whatever".

Not that Sasuke cared about the idiot or his problems, but it was surprising at which the speed peoples' attitudes changed from when they see him, to when they see Naruto. 'At least they don't pity him.' he thought. 'All I get now is pity, I don't need pity – I need training but no one's willing to understand why. Not even that therapist the Hokage makes me sees every month understands'.

They walked on in silence until they reached the fighting ground, content to not reveal any more of their own problems.

vVv

Looking around the training field the boys could not see any signs that anyone was here, or had even been here recently, and there were no markers here to say the spot was taken. Sasuke turned to the other boy and said "This is the place" but Naruto clearly did not hear him as the blonde boy was too busy running around collecting the leftover weapons that were in the mud.

"This is so cool! These are real ninja weapons, not like the crappy wooden ones they make us use at the academy. Is that a sword! Nope just some broken mental, lame…" he said as his earlier mood was forgetten.

Standing up with a kunai in each hand and shouted to Sasuke "This place rocks bastard and look at all this cool stuff. How did you know about this place anyway and why didn't we come here first?"

"I heard Mizuki-sensei talk about it once" he lied shoving his hands into his pockets, since the real reason how he knew about this place was still far too raw for him to think about much and frankly this place brings back too many memories. "Now are we going to fight or what?" as he watched Naruto continue to run around collecting everything he could carry and ending up just dumping them in front of his feet.

"What are you doing with those idiot?" he asked.

"I'll take half and you take half and then we'll fight like real ninja, yeah?" said the other boy squatting down and beginning to search the pile.

To Sasuke it seemed that Naruto's excitement was affecting his already poor speech, but Sasuke was fine with fighting for real – It never bothered Him after all. The fact that by his age He was already a real ninja too…

"So what are the rules to this fight Naruto" he asked as he too began sorting through the mess for anything usable.

Stopping his search and rubbing the back of his head Naruto laughed "Uhh, I didn't really think about that".

"Tch, idiot" he said as he threw a few broken shuriken out of his hand.

"Hey!" But he didn't follow up with anything and continued to sort out his side of the pile.

There was a few moments of silence as they wilted down the pile of weaponry as the sun was beginning to set, turning the sky a rich orange colour. While the other children in their class were probably sitting down with their parents to eat these two had no one to go back to, and while neither will admit it was a welcome change.

"Let's just fight until one of us gives up or can't fight anymore ok" Sasuke said as he stood up, his pockets full of shuriken and with a few kunai attached to his belt.

"Fine with me." Naruto replied as he stood up and assumed his earlier combat stance. "You ready to be beaten by the best ninja in the village and future Hokage, bastard?"

"Are you, dead last?" Sasuke said as he threw a handful of shuriken at his classmate.

So the two academy student began their first real ninja duel, the result of which would be hotly contested for years to come by both of them.

vVv

Iruka entered the Academy ready for another day of dealing with the class' antics, not to mention Naruto, he noticed that the floor was covered in muddy footprints and grass. 'Do the cleaners really miss this, or are they just spending their shift smoking out back and doing nothing again? I'll have to let the Head know about this'. With a sigh Iruka avoided the mess and carried on up the stairs to his homeroom, but the mess continued. Sensing that it could be another of Naruto's pranks he hurried on but made sure to keep careful attention to the floor and ceiling for booby-traps. Iruka did smile though since it reminded him of his youth, but also the fact that if this was due to Naruto at least he would be early in class for once.

Getting to the door of his room unscathed he prepared himself for the worst, it wouldn't be beyond Naruto to sabotage the classroom meaning that class could be cancelled. Opening the door he got ready to shout at the miscreant behind this, "Naruto you-!" But stopped mid rant not because Naruto was out of his usual seat at the back of the room, or the fact that he was the obvious source of the mess but that Uchiha Sasuke was sitting next to him and in a sorry state as well. Both boys had many bruises and cuts, with Naruto having one long line going down his cheek and some of his hair damp against his face. Sasuke had a black eye and a swollen lip too. Their clothing was an utter state as well, being a mixture of being cut to ribbons in some places, and dirty with mud and what could well be dried blood in others.

"Wha-wha-wha-"he began.

"Y-Yo Iruka-sensei" Naruto started somehow full of energy despite his appearance, "We're ready for class, believe it!"


End file.
